San Diego 3/20/2009 (Page 1 of 2)

Michael, living out of a suitcase mostly sucks. But every once in a while the planets align. I had the same circumstances 2 years ago and got to see Joe perform in a small club in Phoenix. I think those days of small club gigs are largely over as Joe has been averaging about 1000 or more fans each show on this tour. He's had to move his performances to larger capacity venues.

All I can say is if you have tickets to see Joe and the band on a future date on this tour, prepare to get blown away like never before. I keep asking myself how can these shows possibly get any better? And then he goes and does it!

Yup, counting down the days until RAH!  I just know the man has some surprises for us!

It was great show and a treat to hear the new album tracks live. We met several people in the lobby who were about to get their first taste of Joe and it was fun pumping them up. Some people were saying they had heard his recordings but never seen him live which we thought was a good sign. For many of us it was the other way around. Joe told a cute story about the first time he played SD in 2000 at Fat Katz and only 17 people showed but it was now great to be playing for 1500.

Being a neophyte with only about two dozen shows under my belt I wasn't able to memorize the set list so if anyone has it I would appreciate it as I'm tracking out my recording. I got a good one I think although we were in the mezzanine and it probably has a bit more echo than I would normally like. As always I'm happy to share individual tracks or the whole show. I don't do torrent so it will have to be the old fashion way by email or snail mail. Warning Joe caught me napping when he came out solo to open the show with BOJH so I'm missing the first line or two.

This is the first time I've seen the Therimin thingy. Did he just starting using that? Its really fun in a 1950s futuristic way. Also whats the story on guitar he used on Just Got Paid? Gibson Holy V? I do not have a particularly sophisticated ear (and can't read the guitars and gear threads with out my head exploding so my apologies if this has been covered) but it seemed the tone wasn't quite up to what he gets from his Les Paul style axes. I assume it was a tip of the hat to ZZ.

Thanks for the info. I was recording audio. I've distributed quite a few tracks to fans around US and Europe but I don't post on the forum very often. If you know any one with a set list please put them in touch. I'm so jealous you are getting to go to London. We have a previous commitment or I would definitely be there.

I had some sound issues at this show, as I have very high expectations for the next few weeks & months...
I have to say Joe's vocals WERE loud.  However, they were too much too loud and way over compensated at the very high treble end and repeated on several (conditional) incidents, only to then be buried blurrily in the muddle (sic) range.  Very irritating at times. Sorry, but I almost made my way to the mixing board for unsolicited advice, something I do only very rarely at any show by anyone (I didn't).  Rick wasn't brought up on one of his solo runs until he was almost done!  The spotlights were a little slow at times too (completely missing Joe stage right at one point), but interestingly placed only on Joe's guitar body at some very appropriate times.  However, the sound overall was great, with Joe's guitar solos being brought up "hotter" just enough for the volume level, said to be loud by some, but given the dynamic range the band goes through it makes for great contrast.  Very powerful work coming from the support of Carmine, Bogie, & Rick.   The sound was great from the balcony, up front, back row, first level, center, left & right mid floor, everywhere, exceptions noted .  RICjunkie is right, Joe was on fire!!! Trouble was the fire department showed up after the show-true story! Sirens blaring.  Right up to the marquee!!! Although it might've been an paramedic call, so I hope no one was hurt or anything.  But the theater was cleared by this time, so dunno what was up.  Again, hope all was OK.  I gave you the set list (above), and I had several neopyhtes in attendance who had the recordings but were NOT ready for the live rendition, no matter how excited they were pre-show.  I happened to be seated beside and behind the 2 loudest guys in the crowd, also first timers although they were familiar with material (excepting the latest), who high-fived over 40 times (not exaggerating), guy in front to guy in back.  Guy in front and guy in back yelling "Yeahhhh"!!! another 50 times loud (not kidding), and guy in front said "Wow" to guy to right of him over 100 times (again, no b.s.), to his wife or gf to the left a merciful 25 times or so.  The crowd peppered the show with various jumping up and throwing arms skyward,  LOTS & LOTS of cheering & screaming (no kidding)...
Joe used Carol Ann & Van Weelden left (clean) & Marshall & Cat 5 right (cotton pickin' dirty), w/Cat 5 cabinets.  Amethyst Burst Ernie Ball John Petrucci BFR Baritone guitar is what Joe uses for The Ballad of John Henry... Carmine has some new basses this tour.  They & he both sound great.  Watch Bogie Bowles for his best drumming yet.  He is one of the hardest hitting drummers you will ever see.  See if the pounding double stick flam he flails on Story of A Quarryman doesn't seem to spear & then sear the beat right into your skull to the center of your cranium...
Met a man limping, with a cane for assistance, an 81 year old black man named Frank post show, who had been a volunteer usher, and he was TOTALLY blown away (again, not kidding).  He said Joe was not just a great musician, he was "Amazing, just amazing"!!! "He has so much energy, unbelievable to put out that much energy"  "I've never seen anything like it"!!!  No kidding, his 70ish lady co-worker (also quotable, "...fantastic" ) was escorting him out the door and he saw me again and started his accolades up again to me as we were leaving-I had to tell Joe about that privately before he and the guys boarded the bus.

The India intro to Mountain Time has a new twist.  Woke Up dreaming has a ah, more Classical twing (sic) to it now...plus banjo style picking Danny Gatton meets Chet Atkins jazzed up country riffing into the song itself, which ironically had the best vocals and clarity with superb enunciation by Joe back to the Classical Gas outro and a thunderous standing ovation by adoring and or amazed fans...

Good to attend with my bud John, and to meet up with Lovely Libby & Steve, plus Bob from Victorville again, Mike the dude from Phoenix ( he got the onstage handshake from Joe in first totally euphoric, I might add, when I met up with him, so I passed on the low-to-high five with Joe...that was me in Syracuse doing that Tom), Tom from Buffalo with Kevin from Cleveland and many other locals... a Grrrreat night.  Joe said "Good Night San Diego, you've been fantastic"!  Forrest Gump says "Fanatastic is as Fanatastic does"...

Rock On & Keep the Faith,
Rocket

"He still doesn't charge for mistakes! "
http://jbonamassa.com/tour-dates/
"Everybody wants ta get inta the act!"
“Now, this isn’t your ordinary party crowd, here.  I mean, there are professionals in here.”

Make that MARSHALL - I gotta stop drinking young scotch and then posting. It fogs my mind. Good malt doesn't do that.. LOL
Yeeesh!

Thanks for the set list. I found the acoustics at Spreckels to be somewhat "bright" also. It sounded like they did some adjustments on the vocals and it wasn't as noticeable later on. After my post last night about the flying "V" I was surfing channels and came upon Spinal Tap and there it was. It totally cracked me up.

Well Rick's vocals were perfect for once, and Joe's OK, but I can't buy a long sound check is going to make a big difference as the venues are really quite alike.  I know acoustics & microphones and this may well be a mic issue.  That and EQ.  There never is perfect sound when mixing live, but the things I was discussing were sharp teeth to the ear annnoyances that were asscociated with bringing up the vocal fader and a setting that worked at lower level was good, but NOT at the increased level.  And repeated.  More than twice.  Trust me I enjoyed the show tremendously.  There have been overall improvements since the last tour...Bogie and Carmine both have had their sound beefed up and I really love it.  Kudos on that!   

Rock On & Keep the Faith,
Rocket

P.S.-No, Eva, I don't go to every show, I only want to

"He still doesn't charge for mistakes! "
http://jbonamassa.com/tour-dates/
"Everybody wants ta get inta the act!"
“Now, this isn’t your ordinary party crowd, here.  I mean, there are professionals in here.”

Hey Tom,

Thanks for updating us on Joe's show in San Diego. Man, brings back memories that are still fresh in my mind and makes me even more anxious for the RAH show to come along!

And Rocket, always enjoy reading what you right!

Roy